Justice denied: Sexual violence & intersectional discrimination – Barriers to accessing justice for Dalit women and girls in Haryana, India

Recognising the historical forms of discrimination and oppression faced by the Dalit community, Equality Now, in collaboration with Swabhiman Society – an organisation which organises Dalit women in Haryana to end caste-based oppression at the grassroots level, and provides legal aid and support services to survivors of sexual violence – launched this report on 25 November 2020.

This report analyses 40 cases of sexual violence in Haryana and highlights their journey through the criminal justice system. It describes the specific barriers faced by Dalit survivors of sexual violence and presents urgent recommendations to the Indian and Haryana State Governments for taking action to end caste-based sexual violence.

The Indian constitution guarantees the right to equality and equal protection of the law and forbids discrimination on the basis of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.

To achieve this, urgent collective action is required to ensure a just and equitable world for Dalit women and girls.